Grassley, Johnson Push for Legitimate Payment Limits in Upcoming Farm Bill Discussions

Senators Introduce New Legislation to Place Hard Caps and Close Loopholes

 

WASHINGTON - Senators Chuck Grassley and Tim Johnson today are introducing legislation that would place a hard cap on the farm payments an individual farmer could receive in a year and would close long-abused and well-documented loopholes in the farm payment program.

 

The new Grassley-Johnson payment limits bill sets a hard cap for farm payments of $250,000 per married couple, and closes loopholes that allow non-farmers to qualify for federal farm payments.

 

The senators had introduced similar legislation earlier this Congress, but wanted to be sure the legislative text would accommodate any type of safety-net program adopted in a new farm and nutrition bill.  This is particularly important in light of the growing prospect that direct payments are unlikely to be included in a farm and nutrition bill.

 

"A strong safety net is critical to ensuring a safe and affordable food supply.  In order to maintain that safety net, we can't have the mentality of the past where the government looked the other way and allowed people with no connection to the farm to take farm payments," Grassley said.  "It's unacceptable that small- and medium-sized farmers get so little of the very program that was created to help them."

 

"The farm safety net was designed to help family farmers but it has increasingly led to a windfall for owners of our nation's largest farms. Congress should act to close the loopholes and better target payments to our small and mid-sized family farmers. This legislation represents our best chance to move forward with reforms as consideration of the farm bill continues," said Johnson.

 

Specifically, the new Grassley-Johnson payment limits bill has a hard cap on marketing loan gains of $75,000 ($150,000 for a couple).   The remainder of the payment limit would be a cap on the total amount a farmer can receive in safety-net payments in general.  For instance, if the Congress were to adopt a shallow loss program, the Grassley-Johnson bill would set a limit of $50,000 ($100,000 for a couple) that a farmer could receive.

 

In addition, the bill closes loopholes that allow people with ties to the farmland that consist of a conference call and nothing else.  The bill sets a measurable standard for someone to qualify as actively engaged in farming by providing management for the operation, and the bill provides an exception for farming operations where there is only one manager of the farm.  This exception should help the Department of Agriculture administer the standard.

 

Here is a copy of the text of Grassley's statement submitted for the Congressional Record upon introduction of the bill today.

Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

The Rural America Preservation Act of 2012

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

 

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Rural America Preservation Act of 2012.  I appreciate Senators Johnson of South Dakota, Enzi, Brown of Ohio, Gillibrand, and Nelson of Nebraska for joining on this bill, and in this effort.

 

As the Senate Agriculture Committee continues working on the next farm bill, one thing seems to be clear.  The Title I safety-net is going to look quite different than current programs.

 

It appears the direct payment program may be done away with entirely.  Some of my colleagues and agriculture groups have proposed a variety of new ideas as possible replacements to the current commodity title.

 

No matter what commodity program we create, my bill sets the marker on payment limitations.  I introduced a similar payment limits bill last year, but this bill should better address whatever type of safety-net program we adopt going forward.

 

The premise remains the same.  We need firm payment limit.  And we need to close loopholes.  I support having a safety-net for farmers.  This nation enjoys a safe and abundant food supply.  Certainly a lot of that can be attributed to the ingenuity and hard-work of the American farmer.  But the farm safety-net helps small and medium-size farmers get through tough times that are out of their control.

 

We need an effective safety-net to assist farmers.  But equally important is for Congress to develop a defensible safety-net.  I will continue to work with my Agriculture Committee colleagues to figure out what type of program will be most effective.

 

We already know the steps that need to be taken to make it more defensible.  Defensible means setting firm caps on the farm payments any one farmer can receive.  The current approach does not have any overall cap.

 

There's nothing wrong with farmers growing their operations.  But big farmers shouldn't be using taxpayer dollars to get even bigger.  When the largest 10% of farmers receive 70% of farm payments, something is wrong.   There comes a point where some farms reach levels that allow them to weather the tough financial times on their own.  Smaller farms do not have the same luxury, but they play a pivotal role in producing this nation's food.

 

If you want to witness how farm payments to big farmers create a barrier for small and beginning farmers, look at land prices.

 

The current system puts upward pressure on land prices making it more difficult for small and beginning farmers to buy ground.  This is not unique to Iowa.  This upward pressure on land prices is occurring in many other states.

 

This bill proposes an overall cap of $250,000 for a married couple.  In my state, many people would say this is still too high.  But I recognize that agriculture can look different around the country, and so this is a compromise.  Strong payment limits will ensure farm payments are helping those who payments were originally created for, the small and medium-size farmers.

 

Having an overall cap is more defensible from a federal budget stand point as well.  This nation needs to make tough decisions regarding all government programs.  And we need to find savings across the board.  Setting strict caps on all commodity programs should be a no-brainer as we look to find savings and increase accountability in farm programs.

 

Having a defensible safety-net also means closing loopholes in the current law.  For all the rhetoric that comes out of Washington D.C. about eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse, making sure non-farmers don't game the system is a common sense step to take.

 

It's simple, if you are not a farmer, you shouldn't get a farm payment.  The bill I introduced last year, and this bill, has language that closes the loopholes.

 

After I introduced the bill last year, we received some questions regarding the language from two camps of people.  The first camp of people I would say were critical because they don't want the loopholes closed.  They would have us turn a blind eye to the fact people game the system.  They would have us turn a blind eye to the fact we have nonfarmers who claim to help "manage" the farm by participating in one or two conference calls a year.  To those people, I cannot satisfy your concerns. I will not turn a blind eye to abuses.  These are loopholes that need to be closed.

 

To the other camp of people, who have provided constructive feedback, I would say, we have listened.  The revisions we made addressed the issues raised.  We have improved the language closing the loopholes.  This bill provides a tangible, workable, and fair approach.  Closing these loopholes is the right thing to do for the American taxpayer.  And it's the right thing to do for the American farmer.

 

Hard caps on farm payments and closing loopholes should be supported by anyone who wants an effective and defensible farm safety-net.

 

As the Senate Agriculture Committee heads toward a mark-up of the Farm Bill, I invite my Senate colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

 

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The Quad Cities Comic Book Convention will be held on Saturday December 3 at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf, IA.

The Ramada Inn is located at 3020 Utica Rd (I-74 @ Kimberly Rd / Spruce Hills Dr, IA Exit 2). It will be open to the public from 10
AM to 4 PM and admission for the public is free.

Dealers from three states specializing in comic books new and old, toys and related. Or if you have old comics lying around that you no longer want bring them by dealers are buying.

For further information contact Alan at (309) 657-1599 or visit www.epguides.com/comics.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced recipients of the 2011 Recovery Champion award, which honors Service employees and partners for outstanding efforts to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants. Among the honorees is Dr. Carol Bocetti of the California University of Pennsylvania, who leads the recovery team for the endangered Kirtland's warbler.

A total of 56 teams and nine individuals were honored as Recovery Champions for work to conserve species ranging from the polar bear in Alaska to the Appalachian elktoe mussel and spotfin chub in North Carolina.

"Recovery Champions are helping listed species get to the point at which they are secure in the wild and no longer need Endangered Species Act protection," said Service Director Dan Ashe. "These groups and individuals have done amazing work in helping to bring dozens of species back from the brink of extinction, while improving habitat that benefits many other species and local communities."

Dr. Bocetti was recognized for her work with the Kirtland's warbler, an endangered songbird found only in Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario.  Dr. Bocetti's  research and recovery initiatives have been a key factor in the growth of the warbler population from near record lows of  about 200 pairs during the mid-1980s to the current estimate of  more than 1,700 pairs, surpassing recovery goals.   Her research also documented the link between the size of jack pine stands - the warbler's nesting habitat - and warbler productivity.

A member of the Kirtland's warbler recovery team since 1998, Dr. Bocetti became the team leader in 2006. Working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, the U. S. Forest Service, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others, she spearheaded efforts to develop a conservation strategy and commitment to managing habitat, a significant step toward recovery and long-term conservation of the species.

"Thanks to Dr. Bocetti's leadership and dedication, Kirtland's warblers are making strides toward recovery," said Tom Melius, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Midwest Regional Director. "That is a remarkable achievement for a species that was once on the brink of extinction."

From the bull trout in Washington, Oregon, and Montana to the red-cockaded woodpecker in Florida, Alabama and Texas, Recovery Champions are taking action to benefit these species. Service employees and partners, including federal and state conservation agencies, tribes, universities, conservation organizations, private landowners, and zoos and botanic gardens, are making a difference through activities such as removing dams so that anadromous fish can reach their spawning grounds, restoring longleaf pine forests in the Southeast, and reintroducing an endangered bird species into its historical range.

For example, the Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) is being recognized for its work in endangered species recovery programs over several decades. Numerous species across multiple states have greatly benefitted from TESF's continued support over the years and are on the road to recovery thanks in large part to these efforts, such as the black-footed ferret, red-cockaded woodpecker, Chiricahua leopard frog and Northern Aplomado falcon.

Notably, the TESF has been active and supportive in gray wolf recovery in the United States, both in the Northern Rocky Mountains and in the Southwest. Since 1997, the Ladder Ranch Wolf Management Facility, located on R.E. Turner's Ladder Ranch in south-central New Mexico and operated by TESF is one of the program's three primary captive pre-release facilities and has been instrumental in housing and selectively breeding Mexican wolves for release to the wild.

Also this year, National Wildlife Refuges from Maine through Virginia are being honored for conserving more than 250 breeding pairs of piping plovers on refuge, state, municipal and private lands.

In the West, the Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative, comprised of more than 22 organizations, after creating a strategy for needed actions such as best management practices for oil and gas development, is working with the industry to implement the practices.

And in an unusual accomplishment, a team of biologists, avian husbandry experts and veterinarians captured wild Nihoa millerbirds, insect-eating songbirds on the Hawaiian island of Nihoa, and translocated them to Laysan Island, restoring Millerbirds to the island after an absence of 100 years.

Restoring streams, releasing listed species into their historical ranges, and conducting field surveys and monitoring programs are among the diversity of initiatives by this year's Recovery Champions. What began in Fiscal Year 2002 as a one-time award for Service staff members for achievements in conserving listed species was reactivated in 2007 and expanded to honor Service partners as well,  recognizing their essential role in the recovery of threatened and endangered species.

For information about the 2011 Recovery Champions, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/recovery-champions/index.html.

For more information about recovery efforts for the Kirtland's warbler, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered

America's fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. To learn more about the Service's Endangered Species program, go to http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq.

-FWS-

HILLSDALE - Today, Mike Smiddy celebrates his primary election to be the Democratic nominee for the Illinois State House. Smiddy received the support of the Moline Dispatch, AFSCME Council 31, Laborers Local 309, Quad City Federation of Labor, Tri-City Building Trades, Illinois Association of Fire Fighters, Illinois Education Association, SEIU, Personal PAC, Planned Parenthood, and Equality Illinois.

"Tonight we achieve our first goal of this campaign. This is not just a victory for me, but for all working class families who believe that creating jobs should be our priority," Smiddy commented during his remarks to supporters. "Now, in the days and months to come, we will let incumbent Republican Morthland know it's time to put working families first."

Tonight we celebrate our victory, and tomorrow we begin our campaign for the general election


Casting Crowns with Matthew West, Royal Tailor and Lindsay McCaul

Where: iWireless Center in Moline, IL
When: March 23, 2012
Starts: 7:00PM
Doors Open: 6:00PM

Tickets On Sale: Now

Ticket Prices:
Advance - $24.00
Artist Circle - $40.00
Groups of 10+ - $18.00
Advance (limited number) - $15.00

Group Sales: Groups of 10 or more receive 1 free ticket! Call 309-277-1356 or groupsales@iwirelesscenter.com for details.

Phone Sales: 800-745-3000

Mail Order Tickets:
Make checks payable and mail to:

i wireless Center, Attn: Box Office, 1201 River Dr., Moline, IL 61265.
Include a $3 per order handling fee and a $2.50 per ticket facility fee.

Buy Tickets Online:

You Probably Know What's In Your Kids' Peanut Butter, But Do You
Know What's In Their Toothpaste?

Most parents are careful about learning what's in the stuff their kids eat and drink. They avoid artificial dyes, preservatives, chemicals, and sweeteners. Yet ask just about any of those same folks if they have ever looked at what is in their toothpaste and you'll likely get blank stares.

Considering the fact that children - and adults -- ingest toothpaste twice a day every day, it's probably the most frequent thing we put in our mouths other than water or other beverages. And still, most people have never looked at what is in their toothpaste.

Dentist and national oral health care expert Harold Katz, (www.therabreath.com), suggests that needs to change. Many ingredients in some commercial toothpastes are of questionable benefit and some are just plain bad for you.

Consumers have become increasingly aware of the hidden toxins in foods, beverages and eating and drinking utensils, he says. They avoid high fat and high sodium foods, sulfates in their personal care products, aerosol sprays, and toxic chemicals in their household cleaners.

"They're taking no chances, and rightfully so. Remember the rush to replace plastic baby bottles with glass ones after the BPA scare in 2008?" he asked.

However there has been a surprising lack of attention to toothpaste, Katz says. The dentist suggests that all consumers - but especially parents - take the time to read their toothpaste tubes today. Effects of potentially unhealthy toothpaste ingredients are multiplied in the smaller bodies of children.

Here are a few ingredients to stay away from:

• FD&C blue dye No. 2: This commonly used toothpaste dye is one of several on the list of additives to avoid, maintained by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It's said to be linked to learning, behavioral and health problems, severe allergic reactions, and headaches, among other problems.

• Sodium lauryl sulfate: The American College of Toxicology reports this ingredient in cosmetics and industrial cleaning agents can cause skin corrosion and irritation. Doses of .8 to 110 grams/kilogram in lab rats caused depression, labored breathing, diarrhea and death in 4 out of 20 animals.

• Triclosan: An anti-microbial ingredient, the federal Environmental Protection Agency lists triclosan as a pesticide and regulates its use in over-the-counter toothpastes and hand soaps. According to the agency's fact sheet, "Studies on the thyroid and estrogen effects led EPA to determine that more research on the potential health consequences of endocrine effects of triclosan is warranted. ... Because of the amount of research being planned and currently in progress, it will undertake another comprehensive review of triclosan beginning in 2013."

• Saccharin and aspartame: Both of these artificial sweeteners are on the Center for Science in the Public Interest's list of additives to avoid.

Toothpaste buyers should look for natural ingredients, such as aloe vera juice, which cleans and soothes teeth and gums and helps fight cavities, according to the May/June 2009 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's clinical, peer-reviewed journal. Aloe vera tooth gel is said to kill disease-causing bacteria in the mouth, Katz says.

Also, avoid all toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh detergent that has been linked to canker sores. Toothpastes that are free of sulfates include Weleda's Salt Toothpaste, TheraBreath and Tom's of Maine.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day and get children into the habit from a young age, Katz says. You'll have fresh breath, avoid painful dental problems, and be far more likely to have your teeth in your mouth when you go to sleep at night as you age.

Just be sure to check what's in your family's toothpaste and avoid buying anything with problematic ingredients. And when it comes to brushing kids teeth use a pea-sized drop of paste on the brush - no more - and oversee brushing to ensure young children don't swallow their toothpaste, says Dr Katz.

About Dr. Harold Katz

Dr. Harold Katz received his degree in bacteriology from UCLA and is the founder of The California Breath Clinics and author of The Bad Breath Bible. He has been featured on ABC's "Good Morning America," CBS's "Early Show" and "The View" with Barbara Walters and countless other TV shows. Dr. Katz's formulated the TheraBreath oral care program in 1994 and has continued to update products in order to make use of the most effective and most natural ingredients.

Sen. Chuck Grassley today made the following comment on the Senate majority leader's decision to proceed to the House of Representatives-passed version of an anti-congressional insider trading bill instead of the Senate-passed version.  The Senate-passed version contains a provision offered by Grassley requiring the growing political intelligence industry, which sells information to Wall Street, to register in the interest of public disclosure, as lobbyists have been required to do for many years.

"The majority leader is choosing the path that shuts out political intelligence registration.  His reasoning for choosing this direction is specious.  The Senate passed this legislation weeks ago, and the majority leader just now says he doesn't have time to defend the Senate's position.  The Senate gave 60 votes to the political intelligence provision.  The broader bill containing the provision received a vote of 96 to 3 in the Senate.  The majority leader ignored all of this.  His decision is a real blow for good government and transparency.  It's a victory for Wall Street and a defeat for the American people.  It's a victory for the hedge funds and big banks that like the secrecy of the status quo."

A Washington Post news story said the Grassley political intelligence amendment, combined with another amendment, "transformed the (insider trading) bill into the most sweeping ethics legislation Congress had considered since 2007."

The Phoenix Art Gallery in Moline, IL has had the privilege of exhibiting nationally and internationally known artist Robert Kameczura since November 2011. On March 23, 2012 a closing reception for the artist will be held from 7 PM until Midnight at the Gallery which is located at 1530 5th Ave in Moline, IL. The artist will be available to discuss his artworks as well as personally sign his prints and paintings. Please join us in celebrating Robert Kameczura's work with cocktails, snacks, and music. This is your chance to meet the artist, hear his fascinating stories, as well as buy directly from the artist limited prints and paintings at specially discounted prices.

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Duluth, Minn. - Online voters have narrowed maurices Main Street Model Search from more than 1,400 contestants to the top 100 who will advance to the next phase of the contest.

These 100 women will compete to be among 12 finalists chosen to model for maurices, a national young women's clothing retailer, in upcoming fall, holiday and spring campaigns. The winners will receive a photo shoot at an iconic fashion shoot destination and national exposure at maurices locations, www.maurices.com, mailers and social media. They will also be awarded a $1,500 maurices gift card and a $7,500 charitable makeover for a nonprofit in their hometowns.

People can visit www.mauricesmainstreetmodel.com to view the top 100 contestants' profiles.

"We are very pleased with the voter turnout for the second year of maurices Main Street Model Search. With more than 128,800 voters, participation was up almost three-fold from last year," said Brad Hartmann, maurices vice president of marketing. "We hope the selected models are as excited as we are to move on to the next stage of our contest."

Each of the top 100 contestants will create a video about why they should be a maurices Main Street Model. maurices will then choose 20 of these women to attend a casting call in Minneapolis, Minn., the week of April 16. A judging panel from maurices, including a celebrity judge and stylist Christopher Straub from Lifetime's "Project Runway," will select the 12 winners, who will be announced on April 23.

For more information, visit maurices.com, facebook.com/maurices or mauricesmainstreetmodel.com.


maurices Main Street Model Search 2012 Timeline

Video submission: March 20 - 27
The top 100 contestants create and submit videos that about why they should be a maurices Main Street Model.

Introducing the top 20: April 2
Judging panel reveals the top 20 contestants.

Casting call: Week of April 16
Top 20 finalists are brought to Minneapolis, Minn., for a casting call with a panel of judges that includes Christopher Straub from Season Six of Lifetime's "Project Runway."

And the winners are: April 23
maurices will introduce the 12 winners of maurices Main Street Model Search 2012.


About maurices
maurices, a division of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ - ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates 800 stores in 44 states. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-26 in select stores and online, our styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online, visit maurices.com.

 

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MOLINE, ILLINOIS - Tune in Fridays at 7 pm when WQPT brings you "Artists in Profile," a new production that takes a look at the creative process in the words of visual and performance artists.

"Last year the Illinois Arts Council contacted us to offer production assistance for a program that highlighted the accomplishments of our areas artists.  After talking with our producer, Lora Adams, we began pre-production on 'Artists in Profile' and taped three hour long performances in late October 2011," said Rick Best, General Manager for WQPT.  "Being able to showcase the creativity of both visual and performance artists has been a wonderful addition to our local programming."

Michael Romkey and The Bucktown Revue are featured in the first half hour episode that airs March 23 at 7 pm. Upcoming episodes feature Jason Platt (cartoonist), Erin Freund (harpist) and Susan Holgersson (set designer) on March 30th; Tristan Tapscott (actor/producer), Ellis Kell (musician), and Kate Askegaard (visual artist) on April 6; The Westbrook Singers on April 13; Catie Osborn (smash poetry), Bill Gustafson (muralist) and Kelly and Tammy Rundle (filmmakers) on April 20th.  "Pages from a Young Girls Life" a ballet from Ballet Quad Cities portrays the life of Anne Frank and was choreographed in 2005 by Johanna Jakhelln. The special hour long program will air on April 27.

The series is funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Three one hour music specials have also been taped and aired on WQPT as a result of the grant. The first was a Christmas concert performed by The Westbrook Singers in December of 2011 and in March 2012 The Westbrook Singers also appeared in an hour long gospel music special along with an hour featuring The Bucktown Revue.

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University located in Moline, Illinois.

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